Condenser unit for mechanical refrigerators



- Dec, 23, 19300 H. w. BUNDY 1,786,000

CONDENSER UNIT FOR MECHANICAL REFRIGERATORS Filed Jan. '7. 1928 INVENTOR. J/Jry Wfiuna z Patented Dec. 23, 193% UNITED fiTATES PATENT oFFicE HARRY W. BUNDY. OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO 7 IBUNDY TUBING COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN CONDENSER UNIT FOR MECHANICAL REFRIGERATORS Application filed January 7, 1928. Serial No. 245,071.

This invention relates to a condenser unit for mechanical refrigerators.

The invention contemplates a condenser unit constructed of tubing, and among the foremost objects are the provision of a unit made up of a minimum number of parts, thus to reduce manufacturing costs, and particularly reducing the number of fittings and various connections, and also the provision of a o radiator which is easily adjustable as to size to fit various requirements. It has been proposed to construct a condenser unit of a multiplicity of short lengths of tubing with the ends of the tube connected by an t. or U fitting. Such a construction is an expensive one from a manufacturing standpoint, due to the labor costs of making the many connections and also due to the additional costs which arise from utilizing a large number of fittings. lVIoreover, such a unit once made cannot be changed in size without substantially remanufacturing the unit.

According to the present invention a condenser unit is made up of a plurality of relatively long lengths of tubing. Each length of tubing constitutes in itself a complete subunit and the tubing of each sub-unit is arranged so that it can be easily connected to or disconnected from an adjoining sub-unit. so Each sub-unit may advantageously be in the form of a spirally arranged tube with its ends provided with fittings and positioned so that they can be connected to the ends of an adjoining spiral. Also a simplified supporting construction or frame is provided and this is also arranged so that it can be easily varied to take care of a variable number of subunits in the condenser.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view with some parts cut away and some parts in section on line 11 of Fig. 2, of a condenser unit constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in section, showing a fitting which is used for connecting two adjacent coils.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a coil.

The condenser unit of this invention is made up of a requisite number of coils of tubing 1. The two ends ofthis coil are preferably brought in close proximity; the end 2 may be termed the inlet end and the end 3 may be termed the outlet end. The end of the tube which connects with the innermost convolution is extended outwardly so that both ends are accessible for making connections. The terming of these ends, however, as such is for the purpose of describing the invention, and it is to be understood that the inlet and outlet ends may be'reversed it desired. This coil of tubing is preferably pro vided with a helical fin 4. for aiding in the dissipation of the heat. Each end of the coil is provided with means for making a connection. This means may be advantageously in the form of a sleeve 5 fixed to the end of the tube in any desirable way, as by soldering, and an internally threaded nut 6 rotatably carried by the sleeve.

In the setting up of the plurality of these coils to make a condenser unit they are arranged side by side, as shown in Fig. 1. The inlet end 2 of one coil is then connected to the outlet end of the next coil, and this may be accomplished by an L-shaped fitting 7 which is threaded at its ends for cooperation with the nuts 6. For the purpose of uniting a plurality of the coils into one unit, standards or supports 10 may be provided. These standards or supports may advantageously take the shape shown in Fig. 2, although this is not material. The fittings 7 may each be provided with an aperture 11 through which a rod 12 may be passed. In order to properly space the coils from each other the fittings may be shouldered as at 13 so that when a rod is passed therethrough the fittings can be abutted against each other'a-nd the coils prop- '1 erly spaced. This rod is also taken through the end standards with the nuts 14 disposed on the ends of the rod. A suitable spacer 15 can be utilized at the inlet 'end of the unit where no fitting is used.

Similar to the rod 12, a second rod 20 may pass through the several coils and be secured by nuts 21 near the bottom of the standard. In order to properly space the lower end of the coils several of the convolutions of each coil may be embraced by a clamp 22 through which the rod 20 extends. Disposed between adjacent clamps may be spacer members 23 with properly sized spacer members 24 at the ends. The clamps may include soft facing material such as a cork composition for contacting directly with the fins of the tube.

Thus it will be seen that this condenser unit can easily be put up in varying sizes. For instance the unit shown in Fig. 1 includes five coils all connected together, although a (litterent number of coils can be used. The ends of the entire unit can be connected to the cooling unit. A fitting 7 may or may not be used, as desired, at the extreme ends of the unit. Refrigerators vary in size and also vary in many other requirements and the condenser unit can be put up with just the requisite number of coils. It at any time the unit needs to be decreased in size one merely needs to loosen the nuts on the assembly rods, disconnect one coil and then assemble the remaining coils, by the use of shorter rods; the unit can be enlarged by merely adding one or more coils.

It will also be noted that the only fittings used are the fittings which connect one coil to the next adjacent coil. Due to the fact that there is a relatively great length of tube in each coil only a very few fittings are used as compared to those prior art devices which use a multiplicity of tubes of short len th. By way of example I may mention that some condenser units consist of quite a large number oi tubes approximately 18 inches in length with U-shaned fittings connecting the ends. Accordingly, there is a fitting for every 18 inches of tubing. This invention. however, requires only a minimum number of fittings and utilizes long lengths of tube thus manufacturing costs are cut. From the standpoint of manufacturing the fittings and also from the standpoint of labor required in making the connections at these fittings. Moreover. it has been found that a condenser con structed in accordance w th this invention occupies no greater space than those prior art condensers of the same capacity. and which utilize a multiplicity of short length tubes; while at the same time the number of fittin s used. or in other words. the number of connections between the tubes is greatly reduced and in some instances this number is onetenth the number of fittings in those prior art devices mentioned.

This invention has been termed a condenser unit for mechanical refrigerators inasmuch as this is one of the foremost uses to which the invention can be applied and to which it is adapted. However, there are other uses for a heat dissipation unit of this character and it is intended that the device can be utilized for things other than mechanical refrigerators.

Claims:

1. A condenser unit for mechanical refrigeration apparatus or the like comprising, a plurality of spiral coils of tubing, said coils being arranged side by side with their adjacent ends connected, a standard at each end of this unit and means connecting the standards also supporting the coils in one unit.

2. A condenser unit for mechanical refrigeration apparatus or the like comprising, a plurality of spiral coils of tubing, said coils being arranged side by side with their adjacent ends connected, a standard at each end of this unit, means connecting the standards and also supporting the coils in one unit, said means being readily removable whereby the condenser unit can readily be changed in size by the removal or addition of a spiral coil of tubing.

3. A condenser unit for mechanical refrigeration apparatus or the like comprising, a plurality of spiral coils of tubing, the end of each coil which communicates directly with the inner convolution of the coil being extended outwardly in close proximity to the outer convolution of the coil, a fitting for connecting the ends of adjacent coils, and means, readily changeable in size, for supporting these coils as a single condenser unit, said means consisting of standards and a co operating member supported by standards which in turn carries the coils.

4. A condenser unit 'for a mechanical refrigeration apparatus comprising, a plurality of spirally arranged coils of tubing, the innermost convolution of each coil having its end extending to a point adjacent the outermost convolution so that both ends are in close proximity, a fitting disposed adjacent the outer convolution of the coil for connecting one end of one tube to the end of the next adjacent tube, said fitting each having an aperture therethrough, a rod extending through the fittings, standards supporting the ends of the rod, clamp devices for each coil, 2. rod extending through these clamp devices and supported by the standards, and spacing means for spacing the several coils on the rods.

5. A condenser unit for a mechanical refrigeration apparatus comprising, a plurality of spirally arranged coils of tubing, the innermost convolution of each coil having its end extending to a point adjacent the outermost convolution sothat both ends are in close proximity, a fitting disposed adjacent the outer convolution of the coil for connecting one end of one tube to the end of the next adjacent tube, said fittings each having an aperture therethrough, a rod extending through the fittings, standards supportin the endsof the rods, clamp devices for eac coil, a rod extending through these clam devices and supported by the standards, an

spacing means for spacing the several coils on the rods, saidrods and standards being readily separable whereby to permitthe removal or addition of a coil to vary the size of the unit.

6. A mechanical refrigerator condenser unit comprisinga plurality of separate spiral coils of finned tube arranged side by side in spaced relation on a common axis substantially horizontally disposed, the end portions of the separate spiral coils being positioned so that one end of'a spiral coil-is in close proX- imity to one end of the next adjacent coil, coupling means connecting these adjacent ends and uniting the separate spiral coils into one condenser unit, and means at each end of the unit for supporting the coils, and coilcarrying elements connecting the supporting means.

7 A mechanical refrigerator condenser unit comprising a plurality of separate coils of finned tube arranged side by side and substantially on the same axis, said coils being spaced apart, means for holding coils set in 5 a predetermined spaced apart manner, the ends of adjacent coils being positioned so that they are in close proximity, coupling means for coupling the adjacent ends together and uniting the spiral coils into one condenser unit, and supporting means at each end of the unit.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY W. BUNDY. 

